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A Note From Emily
This is one of my new favorite holiday salads, but don’t let the name deceive you—it’s not just for Christmas. I make it for potlucks and always take home an empty bowl. It’s colorful and delicious all in one. It’s very quick and easy to make. And according to The Cranberry Institute, you can freeze a bag of cranberries. Sealed in an airtight container frozen cranberries will keep for nearly a year, so I buy a couple of extra bags so I can enjoy this all year long.
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A Note From Jody
wrapped gifts by Jody Dent-Pruks
I love the look of matching presents under a tree, so every year I pick a theme, buy my paper and ribbon in bulk and get to work. Not only does it look neat, but it saves me time. I also put my punches to work to make my gift tags.
The plum pudding crowns the
Christmas lunch and is always the star of the show!
Plum pudding is traditionally English, and you know that we are all descendants of thieves and criminals who were sent to the new colony!!! So this is a tradition that has stuck here even though we celebrate Christmas in the heat.
There is much debate about recipes and there are 2 camps—boiled or steamed. In our family we straddle the debate; my mum steams, my mother-in-law boils. I have added a recipe for both (both recipes from "Super Food Ideas" a great monthly magazine here in Australia).
The pudding usually comes to the table flaming (alcohol and a match) for added drama and is served with custard (plain or brandy custard), or cream or ice-cream or, let's be honest... all of them because it is Christmas, LOL!
Back when I was a little girl, people would hide small silver coins in the pudding and if you found one you could exchange it for a real coin, say 20c. It was so exciting to find the coins (you were always very careful to not swallow them) and my grandparents would have a great laugh sneaking their coins on my sister's & my plates so we had a bigger haul. Of course like all good things this tradition has fallen out of favour because it was thought to be to dangerous. So most people don't do that anymore :(
How much do you want a piece of pudding right now? I know I do. Click images for easier readability!
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A Note From Melissa
project by Kim at Twice Remembered
I've been wanting to cover clothespins with paper ever since I saw it done by Kim at Twice Remembered. I finally pulled out my all-time favorite Christmas paper—BasicGrey Fruitcake—and went for it when I realized they could have multiple uses for the holidays besides just looking cute. (Especially after I decided to add magnets).
covered clothespins by Melissa Kaiserman
For example, holding a Christmas newsletter on the fridge.
Or embellishing a gift bag while also holding a tag.
+ I used my ATG gun to adhere both the paper and the magnets. It was a cinch!
+ I cut the magnet strips from my stash of business card fridge magnets. (I just knew I would need those someday!) Be aware that they are not all made equal. The thinnest ones cause the clothespins to slide down the fridge when holding anything heavier than a Kleenex. The thicker ones are perfect.
+ You can also paint the clothespins before adding the paper. While I didn't paint these, I might be so inclined with certain color schemes.
Click here for a link to Kim's tutorial!
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A Note From Elizabeth
I'm going to let you in on a secret today. I've only ever shared it with one person, who happens to be a famous person—Amy Krouse Rosenthal—because she invited people to email her partway through her book Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, so of course I did, because this particular thing I do just needed to be shared with someone like her, who does something similar independently. I will deny any knowledge of the following Christmas activity should you decide to bring it up later. This is a one-time admission. Ready? : )
For the last ten years I've played a game in December called Anonymous Christmas Elf. Today I will show you how, too! Before we get started, you'll need to do the following:
1. Make a mix CD of your favorite Christmas songs.
2. Buy a $5 gift card from Target, or the grocery store, or wherever.
3. Skim a handful of seasonal products from the top of the mess that is your scrapbook area in December. (Maybe that's just me?)
That's all you need to inject a much-needed dose of old-fashioned, giddy Christmas spirit back into the soul that might feel threatened by the 27 people standing in line at the post office this weekend.
A little sparkly Imaginisce paper, a tag, an old Daisy D's sticker... look how cute that is.
A song list on the backside... also cute. This shouldn't take long at all, unless you accidentally break your printer running the tag through. Then it might take 15 times longer than you had planned.
By force of will and a Christmas miracle (plus A LOT of toner on my hands) I fixed the problem. Back in business.
Now it's time to gussy up that gift card. And by "gussy up," I mean find a cute sticker.
That's pretty realistic looking Target ribbon, isn't it? 100% illusion. I only added the Karen Foster sticker and the tiny tag that nearly cost me my sanity (and my sliding glass door, from where the printer almost got heaved through).
Before you head out with your anonymous surprises, you'll need a cookie.
If you've broken your printer in the process, you'll need two.
Now? Pick your gas station : )
I am partial to Stag Convenience Corner, because this is where I first played this game in December 2000. I literally have no idea what possessed me to do this in the first place, but it was really fun and I've been doing it ever since. I got gas so as to buy myself a little more time to take a couple pictures. Please excuse the picture quality; I didn't really want the man in front of me to know I was taking pictures of a gas pump, because, you know, CRAZY.
The things I do for Write. Click. Scrapbook. : )
Next stop, Target!
I recommend you park next to the shopping cart return for optimal sneakiness.
No waiting around to see who finds this stuff, by the way. Use your imagination. Gracie and I had a fun conversation about how someone might feel when they find it : )
This works anywhere, really... the post office, the grocery store, a doctor's office, etc. I promise you'll feel a little more relaxed about that to-do list when you're out running last-minute errands and dropping off a few Anonymous Christmas Elf surprises!
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Another holiday song to start our day. Channel your best Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. Let's begin!
You love our site
Think it's awesome and bright
We happen to agree
So here's somethin' for free
Give.away.day.'s coming to you.
We've made our list
We've checked it twice
We know you're a bit naughty,
But mostly nice, so
Give.away.day.'s comin' to you.
We dream of scrapbooks when we're sleeping
Then make them when awake
We love to share ideas with you
And give you stuff to make.
Oh it's give.away.day.
For you today
It's holiday time
Which means we're fine
With everyone winning today.
Today we have teamed up with Libby Weifenbach. Libby is a fantastic digital designer. This season, she teamed with Tracey Howard to create a bright and festive kit, Fra-Gee-Lay. Our darling and delightful Cheryl used Libby's kit to whip up a bit of home decor magic in that amazing way that only she can:
Now we know that as December winds down, your time is precious (and running out) so we didn't want you to have to make your own from scratch.Therefore, for our giveaway today, everyone wins! All you need to do is pop on over to Libby's blog where you can download the file to make your own awesome Merry Christmas eyechart. While you are there, be sure to jot down the code Libby has provided so that you can pick up the Fra-Gee-Lay kit for $2 off! Again, for everyone.
But that's not all! Because some of us still haven't our cards done, we wanted to help a bit more. Marnie used another of Libby's kits to make a Christmas and a Holiday card for you.
Again, hop on over to Libby's blog and you can download them for free. (They are 5x7 and use a 4x6 photo that has been resized to 5x3.33. The font is Futura Md.) (And no, sadly (teehee!), they won't have Marnie's kids' pictures on them!
We hope your holiday season is bright and cheerful and that no one will be too disappointed that this giveaway is for everyone! Enjoy!
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A Note From Angie
sock snowmen by Angie, Travis, and Jeremy Lucas
I convinced my 14-year-old and 38-year-old dudes to participate in a fun Christmas craft last year, and there was virtually no complaining! I had to do all the set-up and all the clean-up, but that’s the price you have to pay sometimes.
Here’s how:
Have fun!
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What a treat it was to read through the comments for this special bonus giveaway! Here are a few things to note:
1. There was A LOT OF WRAPPING PAPER used on Tuesday.
2. If you think you're alone in running-around-like-a-chicken-with-your-head-cut-off, you're not.
3. Calories were consumed. More calories were prepared for consumption.
4. Shopping was conducted. More shopping was planned.
5. People are doing a good job keeping up the holiday spirit, even in the face of scary strokes and other medical issues.
6. Families are loved, even when it's crazy-busy.
Oh, and ice luminarias? Share a photo of those in the Flickr group with instructions, please! : )
Congratulations to random.org's first pick, #42 aka Megan, who will win a copy of A Year in the Life!
Congratulations to random.org's second and third picks, #112 and #243, aka Joy M. and Leslie, who will each win a copy of Margie Romney-Aslett's Vintage Hip Christmas Crafts!
Thank you so much to Ella Publishing Company for sponsoring this special giveaway! Megan, Joy, and Leslie, please email us at writeclickscrapbook at gmail dot com before midnight PST Saturday to claim your eBooks.
Stay tuned for an adorable craft coming your way soon!
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We're excited to announce the debut of Ella Publishing Company's newest eBook: A Year in the Life!
Why are we so excited? Well, check out that byline. It's our first official eBook release by the team at Write. Click. Scrapbook. and we couldn't be more thrilled! Read on to learn more, straight from the horse's elephant's mouth:
A Year in the Life: Scrapbook your year in 24 simple layouts
By Write.Click.Scrapbook.
$6.99
Whether you’re wrapping up 2009 or getting a jumpstart on 2010, A Year in the Life is your must-have eBook companion. With oodles of two-page spreads and multi-photo layout ideas, you’ll have your annual photo stash tamed in no time! Brought to you by the talented designers of Write.Click.Scrapbook, this 30-page eBook includes 24 layouts, digital and paper-based pages, and enough inspiration to see you through the year in style.
Guess what? Ella Publishing Co. has generously agreed to provide one lucky reader with a launch-day copy of A Year in the Life today, plus two more lucky readers with a copy of Margie Romney-Aslett's new Ella title Vintage Hip Christmas Crafts! If you've been keeping score, this counts as A BONUS NON-THURSDAY GIVEAWAY. Hooray! Just leave us a comment and tell us what holiday activity you have in store today. Comments will close at 8 pm PST tonight. Good luck!
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A Note From Kim
My girls (ages 11 and 15) and I made these Scrabble Tile pendants for quick and inexpensive friend gifts. They were fun and easy to complete and turned out really cute. A great tutorial can be found by clicking here. Give them a try!
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